Holding means for electrodes, molds, base plates and the like in an electroslag remelting installation

ABSTRACT

In an installation for electroslag remelting of metals and, in particular, steel, a rigid and fixedly mounted column on which holding means is slidably vertically mounted. The vertical movement of the holding means along the column is controlled by a cable and winch arrangement mounted on the column. The holding means comprise a guide member slidably mounted on the column and clamping means operatively mounted on the guide member.

I United States Patent 51 3,660,584 Holzgruber et al. 1 May 2, 1972 [54] HOLDING MEANS FOR ELECTRODES, [56] References Cited MOLDS, BASE PLATES AND THE LIKE UNlTED STATES PATENTS IN AN ELECTROSLAG REMELTING 3,523,995 8/1970 Tulin et al ..13/9 INSTALLATION 2,046,085 6/1936 Moore ..13/14 4 [72] Inventors: Wolfgang Holzgruber; Otmar Klein- 6/1960 Lyman 14 X hasauer, both of Kapfenberg, Austria FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 Assignee: Gebr- Boehler & Kapfenberg, Austria 979,583 1/1965 Great Britain .13/9 ES [22] Filed: June 1970 Primary E.\'aminerBernard A. Gilheany [21 App]. No.: 46,439 Assistant Examiner-R. N. Envall, Jr.

Attorney-Arthur O, Klein [30] Foreign Application Priority Data 57 2 ABSTRACT I June 17, 1969 Austria ..A571 0/69 In an installation for electroslag remelting of metals and, in particular, steel, a rigid and fixedly mounted column on which [52] U.S.Cl ..l3/14, 13/9 holding means is slidably vertically mounted. The vertical [51] Int.Cl. ..H05b 3/60, B22d 27/02, HOSb 7/l2 movement of h h l ing means along the column is con- 58 Field of Search ..13 9, 14,15, 16, 17,9155; trolled by a cable and Winch arrangement mounted on the column. The holding means comprise a guide member slidably mounted on the column and clamping means operatively mounted on the guide member.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Patented v May 2, 1972 3,660,584

2 ShootsSheot l Fig.1

Int 01013.-

Patented May 2, 1972 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

lflrenfam H012 EHUBEB a KLEINHHGHUEH HOLDING MEANS FOR ELECTRODES, MOLDS, BASE PLATES AND THE LIKE IN AN ELECTROSLAG REMELTING INSTALLATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is already known an installation for electroslag remelting of metals comprising a plurality of columns which are rigidly mounted and thus provide a separate vertical axis about which a mold is swingable mounted. This known installation makes it possible to produce metal ingots which are formed by means of a plurality of molten or fused down electrodes. In this known type of installation the electrodes to be fused are consecutively guided to the mold by alternate electrode holders, the mold being positioned always under the electrode which is in the process of being fused down. Since, in these known types ofinstallations the electrodes to be fused down are closely spaced with respect to each other while being supported by the electrode holders, the transporting to and from the installation of the electrodes to be fused down as well as of the formed metal ingots presents great difficulties, in particular, when the electrodes to be fused down are very large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a general object of the invention to provide an installation for supporting electrodes in an electroslag remelting process which is of very simple construction and which avoids the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art installations by transporting the electrodes to be fused closely consecutively to a mold. The installation of the invention includes two vertical columns. On each column there is provided an electrodeholding means which is swingable about the longitudinal axis of the column in a horizontal direction. The electrode-holding means describe two arcs which intersect each other. The longitudinal axis of the mold coincides with the point of intersection of two arcs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The nature of the invention and its advantages will appear more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of the installation of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the installation illustrated in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in more detail to the drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates a mold for receiving the molten metal which has cylindrical inner wall means 11 and a flange portion 14 supported by the two fork'like arms 23 of the swingable member 22. The swingable member 22 is also swingably mounted on the guide member 21. The aforedescribed arrangement forms the mold-holding means (the mold elevating platform). The guide member 21 is vertically slidably mounted on the stationary column 30, which has a cross-section in the shape of a splined shaft. Accordingly, the guide member 21 of the mold-holding means 20 and the guide members 51 and 51', which will be described hereinafter, of the electrode-holding means 50 and 50' are mounted on the columns 30, respectively 30, so that they are secured against rotation. The electrodes 40 and 40 which are to be consecutively melted down by passing an electric current therethrough, are respectively secured at their upper ends, where they are provided with axial flanged extension rods 41, 41 to the swingable members 52, 52' of electrode-holding means 50, respectively 50'. The electrode-holding means 50 is mounted on the same column 30 as the mold-holding means 20, whereas the electrode-holding means 50 is mounted on a second vertical column 30, identical to the column 30. The mold-holding means 20 as well as the electrode-holding means 50 and 50' can be vertically moved with the aid of a cable and winch arrangement 27,

well-known per se, respectively 56, 56', supported on a beam 57 which is mounted on the corresponding columns 30, respectively 30'. The cable and winch arrangements 27, 56 and 56 operate independently and can independently vertically move the mold 20 and electrode-holding means 51 and 51 in the vertical direction. Consequently, it is necessary when longer ingots 42 are to be produced with the installation, to adjust the vertical positions of the electrode 40 to be remelted and the mold 10 in such a way that, on the one hand, the electrode 40 is immersed in the slag layer 43 which floats on top of the molten metal (and which serves for the cleaning and protection of the molten steel) while the end of the electrode 40 is maintained at the desired distance from the level of the molten metal, and, on the other hand, (with the exception of the initial phase of the remelting process) the position of this level of the molten metal relative to the .mold 10 remains unchanged.

Each electrode-holding means 50, respectively 50', consists of an arrangement similar to that of the electrode-holding means 20. Thus, theelectrode'holding means 50, respectively 50', comprises a guide member 51, respectively 51, and a member 52, respectively 52', swingably mounted on the member 51, respectively 51'. The guide members SI, 51' are respectively slidably mounted on the columns 30, 30. The swingable members 52, respectively 52', of the electrodeholding means 50 and 50', respectively, the. mold-holding means 20 are provided each with a gear ring 24, 53, 53, which is respectively: engaged by a gear wheel 25, 54, 54 mounted on the corresponding guide member 21, SI, 51' and which is driven by a corresponding electromotor 26, 55, 55'. The installation of the invention istherefore adapted to respectively swing, with the aid of the electromotor 55, 55 and the electromotor 26, the swing member 52, 52 of the electrode-holding means 50, 50', together with the appurtenant electrode 40, 40, as well as the swing member 22 together with the appurtenant mold 10 about the longitudinal axis of the corresponding column 30, 30. The mid-point of the base plate 62, which consists preferably of copper and on which the metal ingot 42 formed of metal that has solidified during the remelting process, is supported, is located close to an imaginary vertical line, which passes through the point of intersection of both arcs formed by the swing path 5,, S of the electrodes 40 and 40 (see FIG. 2). One of the poles of a source of electrical power (not illustrated) is connected by means of the electrical conducting means 60 (for example, electrically'conductive cables) to the extension rods 41, 41' of both electrodes 40 and 40 (the source of electrical'power can, for example, consist of the secondary winding of a transformer). The other pole'of the source of electrical power is connected by means of the electrical conducting means 61 to the support plate 62. The mold 10 is cooled during the remelting process by means of water which flows between the inner cylindrical wall 11 and the outer cylindrical wall 12, which define the hollow space 13 in the mold 10. The conduction to and from the mold of the cooling water, specifically to and from the hollow space 13, is carried out by means of aflexible hose (not illustrated). A cooling system of the aforedescribed type is, for example, described in the copending and coassigned application Ser. No. 773,622. There can be manufactured with the aid of the above-described installation steel ingots which have been formed by a plurality of remolten electrodes. The electrodes 40, respectively 40', to be remelted are closely consecutively exchanged by means of the electrode-holding means 50and 50'and are transported in close succession to the mold 10. The installation of the invention affords the advantages, compared with the electrode-holding means of the prior art, in considerably facilitating the transportation of the electrodes to be fused down to the mold as well as the transportation of the formed metal ingots from theinstallation to a storage area during the remelting process. The ease of operation of the installation of the invention is based on the swingability of the electrode and mold-holding means and the installation operates flaw-free even when the electrodes to be fused have very large dimensions. The electrode-holding means of the invention are also suitable in installations for electroslag remelting of metals which include only one column on which there is mounted an electrode holder as well as a mold support.

Although the invention is illustrated and described with reference to one preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such a preferred embodiment, but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: In an installation for electroslag remelting of metals, in particular steel, an arrangement, comprising in combination,

vertical column means fixedly mounted in said installation; holding means for supporting consumable electrodes vertically slidably mounted on said column; a mechanism operatively mounted on said column and connected to said holding means for reciprocally moving the latter along said vertical column means;

said holding means comprising a guide member which at least partially extends around said column to matingly engage it so as to be slidably and non-rotatably mounted on said column; and

clamping means horizontally rotatably mounted on said holding means and adapted to clampingly support a consumable electrode or mold.

2. In an installation for electroslag remelting of metals, in

particular steel, as set forth in claim 1, including a gear ring 

2. In an installation for electroslag remelting of metals, in particular steel, as set forth in claim 1, including a gear ring rotatably mounted on said guide member and being operatively connected to said clamping means; and an electromotor mounted on said guide member and operatively connected to said gear ring.
 3. In an installation for electroslag remelting of metals, in particular steel, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said mechanism for reciprocally moving said column comprises a winch having a cable connected to said holding means. 